Shell



HQE. WIN/INS.

SHELL.

APPLICATION FILED IAII.3I,' 1920.

Patented July Q 1922.

. freni.

sletlES HENRY E. WINANS, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

SHELL.

intenses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July d, 1922.

Application filed January 31, 1920. Serial No. 355,297.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be' it known that I, HENRY E. IVINANS, a

citizen of the United States of America, a

to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in shells, and more particularly to an attachment for shells adapted for use in choke-v To clearly understand anbore shot guns. object of this invent-ion, it should be borne in mind that the bore of a choke-bore shot gun is narrowed near the muzzle to cause concentration of the shot pattern. A

choke is formed by a more or less abruptv portion at the muzzle, which serves as an abutment for retarding the load, the wadding being retarded by the peculiar action ot the choke ou the shot charge, to permit the escape of the shot at a point some distancev ahead of the wadding. YWhile the wadding is retarded in the choke, the body of shot continues in motion under the momentum 1t has acquired from the force of the eXplo-r sion, and gaining lead over the waddmgwhich eilectively prevents spread or scat-- ter of the shot. In a cylinder bore shot gun, the wadding behind the shot escapes freely so as to engage and spread the shot immediately after the latter escapes from the muzzle, but this is not true of a choke-bore gun wherein the wadding is retarded so as to escape some distance behind the shot.

It is sometimes desirable to spread or scatter the shot passing from a choke-bore gun, and an object of my invention is to provide a simple means whereby this result is accomplished.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a very simple connecting device associated with the shot and wadding in a particular manner, so as to compel the shot-driving wadding to follow the shotwhile the charge is passing through the bore of the gun. If this Wadding` escapes with, or immediately behind, the shot it will serve as a spreader for scat-tering the shot in a manner well understood in this art.

Fig. I is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a shot-gun shell equipped with a connecting attachment embodying the features of this invention. l

II is an end view.

Fig, III is a transverse section.

'Io illustrate the invention I have shown a shot-gun shell comprising a cup or case A crimped at its outer end to provide an inturned flange l engaging a stili' card-'wad 2, known as the top shot wad. The shell also contains felt wads 3, a card-wad 4, powder 5 engaging said wad 4, and a body of shot- 6 between the wads 2l and 3.

When the shell is fired in a gun, the pressure resulting from explosion of the powder acts primarily on the card-wad 4, and this pressure is transmitted through the eltwa'ds 8 to the body of shot 6 and thence to the card-wad 2. It will, therefore, be understood that either of the wads 3 may be termed a shot-driving member and the card Wad 2 may be termed a shot-driven member.

If the wads 2 and 3 are connected together by means of a connecting device adapted to travel through the bore of the gun with the shot, the wads 3 will follow the shot and serve as a spreader for scattering the shot escaping at the muzzle of the gun.

As an illustration oi'a very simple and `otherwise desirable form of the invention, I

have shown a connecting member consisting of a wire spear 7 provided with barbs 7 near its sharp pointed inner end, and having a large head 8 at its outer end. This connecting member is preferably located at the longitudinal center line of the shell, and its barbs 7 are securely anchored in the felt wadding 3, while its head 8 engages the stiff card wad 2. The shot-driving wads 3 are thus connected to the shot-driven wad 2.

When the shell is fired in a choke-bore gun, the shot will escape through the choke and at this point the shot, moving on by momentum, will place the connecting member 7 under tension, with the result of pulling the wads 3 through the choke and compelling said wads to follow the shot to the muzzle of the gun, whereY said wads 3 will serve as a spreader for scattering the shot.

Another important advantage of the simple and inexpensive connecting spear herein shown lies in the fact that it can be very easily driven into an ordinary shell. A sportsman using a choke-bore gun can use the ordinary shells whenever the shot is to be concentrated in a relatively small area; and when it is desirable to spread the shot the same type of shell may be easily equipped with the connecting spear. It will now be understood that this invention enables a choke-bore gun to be used when it is desired to spread the shot, and the simple connecting spear enables an ordinaryv shell to be easily and quickly converted into aA special shot-spreading shell.

I claim: Y Y Y l. A shell containing a shot-driving wad, a shot-driven member, a body of shot between said shot-driving wad and shot-driven member, and non-fusible means for connecting said shot-driving wad to said shot-driven member.

2. A shell containing a shot-driving wad, a shot-driven member, a body of shot between said shot-driving wad and shot-driven member, and a non-fusible connecting member passing through the body of shot to connect said shot-driven member to said shotdriving wad.

3. A shell containing a shot-driving wad, a shot-driven wad, a body of -shot between said wads, an explosive whereby said shot and wads may be discharged from the shell, and non-fusible means forV anchoring said shot-driven wad to said shot-driving wad, so as to compel the shot-driving wad to follow the shot.

4. A shell containing a shot-drivingY wad,

a shot-driven wad, a body of shot betweenv said wads, an explosive whereby said shot and wads may be discharged from the shell,

and non-fusible means for anchoring said' shot-driven wadto said shot-driving wad, so

as to compel the shot-driving wad to follow the shot, said means comprising a connecting member extending through said shot-driven wad and anchored in said shot-driving wad.

5. A shell containing a shot-driving wad, a shot-driven wad, a body of shot between said wads, an explosive whereby said shot and wads may be discharged from the shell,

and means for ranchoring said shot-driven wad to said shot-driving wad, so as to compel the shot-driving wad to follow the shot, said means comprising a connecting member extending through the body of shot and having a head engaging the outer face o' said shot-driven wad and also having an anchor whereby it is secured to said shotdriving wad.

6. A shell containing a shot-driving wad, a shot-driven member, a body of shot between said shot-driving wad and shot-driven member, and means for connecting said shotdriving wad to said shot-driven member, said means comprising a wire-like spear passing through the body of shot and having a head engaging the outer face of the shot-driven member and also having a pointed end provided with a barb anchored in said shot-driving wad.

LA shot gun shell containing a shotspreading attachment of the character described, comprising a barbed connecting spear adapted to be driven through the body of shot and anchored in the wadding behind the shot.

8. In combination with a shell, a shotspreading attachment comprising a shotd'riven head provided with a barbed connecting spear adapted to be driven through the body of shot in the shell.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signature.

HENRY E. WINANS. 

